1. Field of the Invention
Device for cutting wiping materials stored in a unit which automatically dispenses them in the form of a narrow, concertina-type folded strip. The invention relates to a cutting device for wiping materials stored in a unit which automatically dispenses them in the form of a narrow, concertina-type folded strip.
The invention relates to the technical sector for units to dispense wiping materials of the paper, cotton wool, non-woven or other types.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many units and devices designed to either automatically or non-automatically dispense lengths of wiping materials in public or private toilets are known.
These means use various materials: paper, cotton wool, non-woven, which are provided with a certain capacity of absorption. Due to mainly economic reasons, the materials used are thinner and thinner and therefore more fragile.
When it is desired to offer the user a unit capable of automatically dispensing determined lengths of these types of materials by simple pulling on the part projecting from the unit, as is the case for the units protected by patents and the applicant of which is also the holder, it is understandable that, due to the tensile strength, however low it may be, and due to the fact that the user has wet hands, with some very fragile materials, the pulled strip may tear before the end of the dispensing operation.
In order to overcome this disadvantage, the applicant has offered, according to the French patent application Nos. 88.05939 and 88.07823 both the priority documents for issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,291, a unit capable of cutting and automatically dispensing lengths of wiping materials, even the thinnest types, without there being the risk of undue tearing. With this in mind, means combined between one another, have been provided to successively fold the unrolled strip in concertina form, feed it and cut it to length automatically, when the folded end, projecting from the unit is pulled, thereby having a strong, narrow strip in the hand which unfolds itself naturally and offers sufficient wiping surface.
With this type of unit, the feeding and cutting device for the folded strip mounted onto a fixed part or in the interchangeable cassette, is quite suited for the problem brought up. However, according to the type of wiping material used, the cut by penetration and tearing obtained by a pinked blade and the gripping action of two support and counter support jaws, can be modified, i.e. the folded strip can be cut too early and then the following strip may not project from the unit, or too late which may lead to too much projecting from the unit and more pulling force being required.
In order to obtain clean, precise separation of the folded strip when pulling the part projecting from the unit, with all types of wiping materials, from the most fragile to the strongest, with wet hands and despite the direction it comes out of the unit, the cutting device according to the invention has been designed. This is arranged between the pairs of toothed wheels to feed the folded material upstream by complementary projections orientated and spaced as defined in the French patent application No. 88.05939.